Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
DD CEN/TS 81 โ Safety Rules for the Construction and Installation of Lifts (EN 81 Family Interpretations, Evacuation of Disabled Persons, Vandalism Resistance)
Draft for Development โ EN 81 Family Supplementary Technical Specifications
๐ DD CEN/TS 81 is the UK implementation of the European CEN/TS 81 series of technical specifications, providing interpretations, particular applications, and existing-equipment improvement advice around the EN 81 family of safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts. The series is the responsibility of BSI Technical Committee MHE/4 (Lifts, hoists and escalators) and is published as a Draft for Development โ a provisional, experimental publication used to gather practical application experience before conversion into a formal European Standard.
โ ๏ธ It is important to note that DD CEN/TS documents are “not to be regarded as a British Standard”; they are provisional publications. Use them together with established documents (e.g. BS 9999, BS 8300) and UK Building Regulations when judging conformity.
1. Series Structure and Background ๐
| Part | Corresponding CEN/TS | Title | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| DD CEN/TS 81-11:2011 | CEN/TS 81-11:2011 | Basics and interpretations โ Part 11: Interpretations related to EN 81 family of standards | Formal interpretations of EN 81 clauses |
| DD CEN/TS 81-76:2011 | CEN/TS 81-76:2011 | Particular applications for passengers and goods passenger lifts โ Part 76: Evacuation of disabled persons using lifts | Operational and technical requirements for accessible evacuation lifts |
| DD CEN/TS 81-83:2009 | CEN/TS 81-83:2009 | Existing lifts โ Part 83: Rules for the improvement of the resistance against vandalism | Vandalism-resistance improvement of existing lifts |
The three parts address different aspects of the EN 81 family: interpretive content, particular applications (evacuation), and existing equipment (vandalism). Part 11 supersedes the withdrawn DD CEN/TS 81-11:2009; Part 76 was published at a time when many European countries had no specific standard covering the evacuation of persons with impaired mobility using lifts.
2. EN 81 Family Interpretations (Part 11) ๐
DD CEN/TS 81-11 brings together interpretations related to the EN 81 family of standards. Its purpose is to give manufacturers, inspection bodies, and regulators a consistent understanding of the clauses, reducing conformity disputes caused by inconsistent readings of the EN 81 parts. Typical content includes:
- Clear interpretations of recurring terms and requirements in the EN 81 series;
- Clarification of safety components, protective devices, and installation interfaces;
- A basis for discussion ahead of conversion to a formal standard.
๐ก The value of an interpretation document is “removing ambiguity”: the same clause may be read differently across countries and bodies. DD CEN/TS 81-11 offers a common reading that supports cross-border design and certification.
3. Evacuation of Disabled Persons (Part 76) โฟ
DD CEN/TS 81-76 specifies the typical technical requirements and operational constraints of lifts used to evacuate persons with impaired mobility. At publication, many European countries had no specific standard on the topic, so the document was issued to promote discussion about the final content of any future EN standard. Key points include:
- Emergency operating modes, priority calling, and control strategy;
- Supporting requirements for power supply, protected lobbies, and communication systems (in the UK, see BS 9999:2008 Annex G and related sections);
- Interface with accessible-building design guidance (BS 8300:2009 in the UK).
๐จ An evacuation lift is not an ordinary lift: it requires reliable power (including a secondary supply), a fire-protected lobby, fire/evacuation instructions, and a two-way communication system, and the evacuation strategy must be coordinated with the building’s overall fire safety design (e.g. BS 9999) โ it cannot be decided in isolation.
4. Existing Lifts โ Vandalism Resistance (Part 83) ๐ก๏ธ
DD CEN/TS 81-83 provides rules for improving the resistance against vandalism of existing lifts. Vandalism (damage to push-button panels, car walls, door systems, or malicious call generation) not only causes property damage but can jeopardise passenger safety. The standard covers:
- Reinforcement and protection of car interiors, push-button panels, and door systems;
- Improving component durability and reducing exploitable weak points;
- Improving design, maintenance, and monitoring of existing equipment to lower vandalism risk.
5. Engineering Practice Essentials ๐ ๏ธ
- ๐ Conformity judgement: in the European market, lift design is based primarily on the EN 81 family; the DD CEN/TS 81 series provides supplementary interpretations and particular applications and should be used alongside the formal standards.
- ๐ง Evacuation design: when designing evacuation lifts for persons with impaired mobility, satisfy building fire safety, power reliability, lobby protection, and communication requirements, and prepare a written evacuation plan.
- ๐ Retrofitting: evaluate cost, downtime, and regulatory conformity for vandalism-protection upgrades of older lifts, favouring durable materials and protective measures.
- ๐ Records and review: technical specifications have a defined review period (typically no more than three years); users should track progress of CEN/TS conversion to EN and identify superseded or updated documents.
6. Frequently Asked Questions โ
โ Q: Are DD CEN/TS documents mandatory standards?
A: No. “DD” denotes a Draft for Development โ a provisional, experimental publication not to be regarded as a British Standard. Conformity should be judged against the applicable formal documents (e.g. EN 81, BS 9999, BS 8300, and Building Regulations).
A: No. “DD” denotes a Draft for Development โ a provisional, experimental publication not to be regarded as a British Standard. Conformity should be judged against the applicable formal documents (e.g. EN 81, BS 9999, BS 8300, and Building Regulations).
โ Q: What is different about an evacuation lift?
A: It must operate reliably in an emergency, typically requiring a secondary power supply, a fire-protected lobby, communication, and priority control, and must be integrated into the building’s overall evacuation strategy (in the UK, BS 9999 Annex G).
A: It must operate reliably in an emergency, typically requiring a secondary power supply, a fire-protected lobby, communication, and priority control, and must be integrated into the building’s overall evacuation strategy (in the UK, BS 9999 Annex G).
โ Q: How can an existing lift’s vandalism resistance be improved?
A: Per DD CEN/TS 81-83, use durable materials and reinforcement for car walls, push-button panels, and door systems, improve monitoring and maintenance, and eliminate exploitable weak points.
A: Per DD CEN/TS 81-83, use durable materials and reinforcement for car walls, push-button panels, and door systems, improve monitoring and maintenance, and eliminate exploitable weak points.
๐ Q: What is the role of the EN 81 family interpretation document?
A: It harmonises stakeholder understanding of EN 81 clauses, reducing ambiguity and disputes, giving manufacturers, inspection bodies, and regulators a consistent basis, and accumulating experience for future formal standards.
A: It harmonises stakeholder understanding of EN 81 clauses, reducing ambiguity and disputes, giving manufacturers, inspection bodies, and regulators a consistent basis, and accumulating experience for future formal standards.